Unique discoveries of armaments

Discoveries of armour and parts of other armaments in the mass graves outside of Visby’s ringwall are unique in terms of the sheer quantity of objects as well as their age. Few armaments are to be found in similar graves at other sites. Normally, the fallen are robbed of everything of value.

In Visby, archaeologists have found around 25 suits of what is called Wisby armour, 185 chain-mail hoods, 12 chain-mail shirts and parts of 20 gloves. The majority of the objects were laid on the bodies of the fallen and carried to the grave with them, whilst others have just been thrown in.

There are several theories concerning why the objects remained in the graves:
They were stuck to the bodies, swollen as they were with the summer heat and soaked in blood. Perhaps would-be plunderers were too repulsed to take the armaments.
There was a rush to bury the bodies in the heat.
Burying the Gotlanders’ armaments was a means of disarming the island.